Hidden Stroud: Fromehall Mills

A conversation with a friend a few weeks ago reminded me of all the dark Satanic mills in and around Stroud that I haven't visited in ages. This one, Fromehall Millwas on my list because of the large pond in front. I thought there might be some swans and ducklings as well as ghosts on site. Instead I found tufted ducks, loons (that's the Canadian word, but I can't remember the British one), mallards and moorhens. No ducklings.

in fact I got rather lost on the way there, but no matter ... I found myself on the less than bonny banks of the Frome in a beautiful woodland filled with wild garlic. I took many pictures of the starry, starry flowers, but I see there are quite a few on blip already. Then I found the rather frightening back of the mill, which is shown above, but I heard no screams, nor even sound of machinery. After walking in a huge loop and seeing the pond through the trees but being on the wrong side of the river, I managed to cross over Lodgemore bridge ( Lodgemore Mills are eminently blippable: I shall return) and reach the site. There was a beautiful air of calm (Fromehall mills are home to many small businesses rather than a factory, as is the case with Lodegmore mills) and I considered it a spot well worth re-visiting for a tranquility fix. I noticed, though, that a large area of grassland, being flat, is probably about to be built on. (this turns out to be the case).

Then I walked back to the canal and along as far as I could, still carrying my two Tesco's bags of shopping, as I had since the beginning of this adventure, and went to Waitrose for my free cup of tea and poetry-writing session. I estimate this was a longer-than-average blip walk, but all the better for it. It's been weeks since I had a decent walk. I did manage to avoid lying in my back in a bed of nettles in order to blip a Dickensian chimney, though I was sorely tempted. The dramatic filter on my camera works best when you point the lens at the sky at 90 degrees, but that's where the dynamic risk assessment comes into play.

I've grunged this shot up with the Comic filter in Photogene, and further effects in Pic Grunger. Might start a "Distressed Stroud" series, though this would fit the "Hidden Stroud"category too. It will be number XVI (why did I ever use Roman Numerals?)

Thanks for all the lovely comments over the past two days. I shall now attempt to catch up!

My Original mill pics here. took them with the dramatic filter on, though, so the colours are a bit faded looking. The Ad for Pins from Lightpool Mill is from the museum in Gloucester. There is still an area called Lightpill, but no Mill.